Violations vs Media in NWFP Climb to 50 in 2009

The attack on the Peshawar Press Club on Dec. 22, 2009 is, in effect, a strike against the Pakistani media's successful role in shaping public opinion against religious extremism and terrorism.

This was stated by Adnan Rehmat, the executive director of Intermedia, a Pakistani media development organisation that works on media advocacy, research and training, particularly in the North West Frontier Province NWFP), Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and Balochistan.

A suicide bomber blew himself up in an attempt to enter and attack dozens of journalists in the Peshawar Press Club. Four persons, including a police guard who resisted the attacker, were killed and several injured in the attack.  

“Nearly 25 journalists have been killed in Pakistan in 2008-09, several by suspected militants, but this is the first time suspected suicide squads of Al-Qaida-Taliban combined have targeted media persons as a specific, overt target,” he said.

Rehmat said the Peshawar Press Club is the biggest media establishment in the conflict ravaged NWFP and FATA. “Targeting Peshawar Press Club means an effort to browbeat the courageous journalists of the region who are already working in difficult conditions and in one of the most dangerous areas in the world to practice journalism,” he said.

Condemning the suicide attack, Rehmat added: “Shooting the messenger will not kill the message – Pakistani media is a bulwark against terror and totalitarianism.”

According to research by Intermedia, which as a media watchdog chronicles violations against the media in Pakistan, four journalists have been killed in 2009 in NWFP alone while four were abducted, and seven journalists in the province were injured in assaults by unidentified attackers.

During the same period, eight cases of intimidation and threats were recorded in NWFP while four attacks took place on media properties, including the December 22 suicide attack on the Peshawar Press Club.

According to the research, overall 50 cases of violations were recorded against the media in NWFP, which also included at least 23 cases of ban or censorship orders by militants, military and civilian authorities.  

“Intermedia condemns the attack on Peshawar Press Club and expresses solidarity with the brave journalists in NWFP and the rest of Pakistan, who battle grave odds to do a tremendous job of keeping the people informed,” Rehmat added. (Ashfaq Yusufzai)